Where the Sky & the Ocean Meet - Surf & Soar (sequel)
by OhLookAnotherAuthor
Summary: Jason Grace and his friends save Olympus from Hades's plot. Rated M for graphic male/male pairing.
1. Introduction

Introduction

_In which our hero gets you intrigued and/or sexually aroused using witty language. Isn't he charming?_

* * *

I admit that the last time I spoke to you I wasn't very clear about how our quest to save the world from damnation ended. You know, the one where if I didn't lead a group of teenagers to victory the Underworld would swallow up the oceans and Poseidon would be _mad _pissed? Yeah, that one.

A few of you also wanted to know what happened between Percy and me after our meeting in Times Square. If I had to explain it in two words, I'd say sexy times. But more on that later.

Let's pick up where we left; in the middle of New York City, stomachs full of Dunkin Donuts, traveling with a Cyclops (who happens to be my distant relative) to Mount Olympus. All in a day's work.

- Jason Grace


	2. Chapter 1 - Coffee & Creepy Chicks

Chapter 1 - Coffee and Creepy Chicks

_In which our hero makes a fool of himself (this is a technique for getting readers to sympathize with the protagonist, FYI)._

* * *

I tried to drink my coffee and pay attention to what Annabeth was saying. Besides it being nearly impossible to with my ADHD, I didn't like the sound of what she was saying.

"So you're basically saying we're hopeless," I said, and it came out angry. She'd made it sound like we couldn't do much about the situation.

She glared at me, and I knew that despite having come to find me, she still hadn't warmed up to me. "Do you have any ideas you'd like to share?"

I kept my mouth shut.

"That's what I thought. So, is everyone on board with travelling back to Camp and rallying a force?"

"As if we have a choice," muttered her ex-boyfriend, Percy.

She shot him an annoyed look. Suddenly Tyson exclaimed, "Look! Taxi!"

He was comfortably filling an entire side of the booth, with the rest of us squeezed in on the other. None of us turned back to see what he was pointing at.

"I've got a question," Piper said, and I avoided making eye contact with her. Percy sat between us, and I was glad for it. "Where do I fit into this? I mean, you're the brain, Percy, Tyson, and Jason are the brawn, but what about me?"

I swear I could hear Annabeth thinking. "I'm not sure, Pipes."

In the past days I had developed feelings of resentment towards her for reasons I couldn't explain. I was afraid she knew that my heart had replaced her with Percy, but how could she? Her mother was the goddess of love, but surely it wasn't _that_ apparent.

She stood her ground. "I'm going to get the Aphrodite Cabin out there pronto."

Annabeth sighed. "Piper, you really— "

"TAXI IS STILL WAITING!"

I turned to Tyson. "What are you talking about, big guy?"

He pointed behind me, through the glass window in the front. We all turned, and Percy and Annabeth groaned in unison. I saw a battered gray cab, parked on the sidewalk. All around it, mortals passed by without a second look. They were seeing something completely different.

Percy turned to Annabeth. "Why do I get the feeling the Gray Sisters are here for us?"

Piper said what I was thinking. "The gray who?"

Annabeth replied coldly. "You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

"Hello!"

"Good to see you!"

"Exact change, please!"

The three old women in the driver's seat looked like they haven't moisturized their skin since the Trojan War. Their faces were sunken, gray in color, loaded with scabs and scratches, and they shared a single eye between them. More concerning was that the one with the eye wasn't even the one driving.

My sword was drawn, and I hung back as Percy and Annabeth walked over to talk to them. I hated how even though they'd broken up, they still acted as a team. I wanted to be the one Percy turned to when he needed help. A random man passed me, and glancing at my sword, he said, "Cute dog, kid."

A dog? Seriously? I swear, the Mist got weirder and weirder every day. Still, it was useful in urban places like the city.

"We didn't summon you." It was the first thing Percy said to them.

"Give the boy a cookie," the one closest to the window joked to the others. "He's a freakin' genius!"

They all laughed a horrid, screechy laugh that I knew I'd hear in my nightmares. Piper grabbed my free hand, and I tried hard not to pull away. When they pulled themselves together, the middle one said, "We've been paid in advance to drive you."

I suddenly got a terrible feeling in my gut. These crazy old bats had something to do with Nico and his horrible plan. "Percy," I hissed. "We can't get in with them."

He pretended not to have heard me, but I knew he had. It annoyed me. "Who sent you?"

"A god," the last of the trio said. "A great god!"

That was all I needed to hear. I pushed Percy aside and struck the door with my sword, showering everyone with sparks and leaving a deep dent. Everyone stopped and stared. "Come on!" I screamed. "Don't just stand there!"

Why weren't they moving? It was like they didn't see the crazy ladies in the beat up taxi as a threat.

"Jason, son of Zeus!" the closest one shrieked, her one eye wide open in alarm. "Your daddy will have to pay extra for the damage!"

My dad? Pay extra? Shit.

The pieces fell into place in my brain quickly, and I turned a bright shade of pink. I turned to look between my companions, and felt shame flood over me. The trio wasn't dangerous – my dad sent them for us, despite seemingly forgetting about me. How had I been so stupid to not realize this?

Annabeth pulled me aside. "What was that all about?"

"I got scared, okay? I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

The drivers eventually decided that it was alright for me to ride with them after all, even though they muttered something about 'not the first time this happened', and also 'stupid demigod manpig'. I sat at the window, and the rest of my friends filed into the backseat. When Tyson realized there wasn't enough room for him, he told us he'll follow us, and closed the door. I felt bad, but Percy assured us he was fine.

The three drivers turned around, smiling unattractively, their one eye darting between us. They spoke in unison. "Hold on to your souls!"


	3. Chapter 2 - Where it All Began

Chapter 2 - Where it All Began

_In which our hero comes off as less heroic than required. The author apologizes for any weak characterization. Wait a second, not he do not. Peace out, yo._

* * *

If the ghostly ride from Times Square to the Empire State Building had been longer, I don't think I'd have been able to keep my food down. We had zipped without any problem down streets where traffic was so backed up you couldn't move an inch, through cars and trucks and whatever else the streets had in them. As it were, I wasn't feeling too good, and stumbled last out of the cab.

"See you real soon," the middle driver said, and they cackled as they zoomed off to who-knows-where.

"Real nice, they were," Piper muttered.

I looked up towards the NYC skyline, and saw the Empire State Building towering above us. It looked intimidating. "We're going up there?"

Annabeth nodded unhappily. "If Zeus summoned us, it means he knows about the situation. Who knows, maybe he'll even offer to help us."

I glanced over at Percy, and saw that he wasn't looking too happy himself. "What's the matter?"

"My dad will probably be up there. I don't want to see him."

The honesty of the statement startled all of us. Annabeth quietly asked, "Did something happen? Something you didn't tell us?"

He sighed, and I felt relief when I realized this had nothing to do with me. It was about Percy and his dad. "I just… why is it that we always have to rescue _them_? Do this, or the gods die. Do this, or the gods fight. Why do they never help us out?"

Thunder rang throughout the city, as if in response. Tourists reached for their umbrellas, and we all looked anywhere but at Percy's eyes, not having a clue on how to cheer him up. "That's what I thought," he muttered, and began to walk towards the building. I looked around for Tyson, and realized he hadn't reached us yet. I exchanged glances with Piper, and ran to catch up with him.

* * *

I swore as I nearly tumbled into empty air. "Who came up with the floating steps to heaven thing?"

Annabeth called out from in front of me, hopping between the floating stones like she was a hopscotch champion. "First of all, this isn't heaven. Second of all, it was not me. They wouldn't let me touch them when I renovated the place."

She paused and turned around to face me, and Piper nearly jumped into me. "Do you know how difficult it is to hop with construction supplies?"

"Keep moving!" Percy yelled from the other side, already on solid ground – well, as solid as a floating city can get. For a guy who wasn't looking forward to seeing his dad, he sure was quick.

When we were all safe on the nice ground, we huddled. "Okay," Annabeth said. "Is everyone ready?"

We nodded. There wasn't much to say – we knew what we had to do. We'd find Zeus, hear what he had to say, and hope he'd help us out. If not – well, we hadn't thought that far ahead. Going back to Camp seemed like a distant memory.

Dozens of gods, deities, and spirits that were at least three times as tall as us chilled outside, enjoying the cool breeze as if the fate of the world wasn't at stake. Some had golden goblets of wine, others snacked on things that weren't really food to mortals (can you say, rocks and chunks of metal?). They all stared curiously at us, and I tried to keep a brave face on. After all, I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was the son of the king god – surely they'd respect me. We walked up the long road that led to the grand palace, a gigantic building made of gleaming white marble and topped with a golden roof. The entire time Annabeth kept talking about how she helped build the city, and the entire time I kept tuning her out.

We stopped at the door, which towered at least one hundred feet above us. Percy and I exchanged nervous glances, and Piper hummed some nervous tune. I asked the question that was on everybody's mind. "How do we get in?"

I could hear rumbling laughter and chatter from inside, and I knew that it didn't matter how loud we'd yell or knock. So what now?

"I thought something like this might happen when I designed the palace," Annabeth said. She ran to the edge of the door, and tapped one of the marble blocks. It flipped, and I saw a small electronic panel. She entered a code, and the door slowly opened inward, grinding to a halt. I swallowed as the room was revealed before us.

There was a party atmosphere to the hall. It was gigantic, lavishly decorated, with no expenses spared. Decorative rugs the size of football fields were strewn on the floor, and couches were bunched around the room. On each was a god or goddess, larger than life, dressed in traditional Greek togas. I spotted Aphrodite, flirting with a god I'm pretty sure wasn't Ares nor Hephaestus. There was Hermes, dashing between everyone as if he had very important things to tell them constantly. I didn't see Poseidon, and I definitely didn't see my own dad.

Piper spoke. "What now?"

We were tiny compared to the others in the room. We filed in, and the door slowly closed behind us. Finally a minor god noticed us.

"Heroes!"

As soon as the god boomed the word, the room silenced. Countless giant eyes turned to us, and I swear I could hear my own heart pounding in my ears.

Hermes dashed towards us, and I was sure we'd be squished underfoot when he transformed. He morphed down into a normal-size man, looking smart in a business suit, holding a cell phone. "Welcome back!"

He said it to Percy, and I heard a touch of bitterness in his voice. "Hi," Percy muttered, and motioned to me. "We're here to see his dad."

"I already knew that," Hermes said. He turned back to the others. "Carry on!" he yelled. "They're perfectly harmless."

Just how harmless were we to them? "He's in the throne room, with his brother," Hermes said. "Follow me."

I felt like we'd been walking for hours when we finally exited the common room and found the smaller throne room. 12 majestic thrones were arranged in a semi-circle, and many smaller ones were facing them on the other side of the room. It nearly took my breath away; each throne represented a god.

Like Hermes said, Zeus was there, as well as Poseidon. They had a serious look to them as they spoke in hushed tones, Zeus on his throne, Poseidon standing beside him.

Hermes turned politely to Piper. "One moment, please."

We watched him transform into the giant toga-wearing god he really was. He walked to his superiors, paused a few feet in front of them, and bowed. "Your children." He turned and surveyed us, then turned back. "And the other two."

He vanished, and immediately they zeroed in on us. "Ah," my dad boomed. "Jason – welcome home."


	4. Chapter 3 - A Godly Conference

Chapter 3 - A Godly Conference

_In which our hero undergoes the most complicated chapter yet. Hurray for him._

* * *

"Send for the girls' mothers," Zeus said to no one in particular, and I heard wind whoosh past me to the common room, as if his very orders had come alive. "Come closer, demigods. We have much to talk about."

The severe look on his face looked downright scary from as close as we dared to get. I wished Tyson would hurry up, because I could really use a boost onto his shoulder right now. I saw that Percy was avoiding his dad, who was gazing sadly down at his son, resting on a giant trident. I felt bad for both of them, but I felt even worse for myself. I realized I had a whole lot of feelings about my own dad, not all of them positive.

"I trust the Gray Sisters were pleasant and courteous," Poseidon said, and I realized after a moment that he was trying to joke with us. He looked between us, then down at his feet, because it obviously hadn't worked.

"Now," Zeus said, straightening up. "I gather you know the gravity of the situation."

Annabeth nodded. "Yes, sir."

He looked skeptical. "Are you aware that my—," he looked at his brother. "—our brother is trying to literally undermine Olympus? With Poseidon's realm gone, he'll be rendered powerless, and the power balance will shift in Hades's favor. We can't have that, you understand."

"Of course not," Percy muttered. "Can't have you lose power."

It didn't matter how upset Percy was with the Olympians, he shouldn't have said that. If his brother wasn't there, Zeus would have most likely blasted him to bits and pieces. Poseidon put a hand on his shoulder, as if to steady him. "He's weary," Poseidon said quietly. "Forgive him."

Zeus studied us. "You're right that we can't lose power," he finally said. "Not to Hades. He rules the Underworld for a reason, Percy. He belongs there."

Something moved behind one of the thrones. "Did you see that?" I asked Piper. I pointed to the throne, the one covered in gears and mechanisms, and she followed my finger, shaking her head and looking at me quizzically. "I swear I saw something back there."

"Jason!" My dad boomed, and I was startled back into the conversation. "Pay attention, please."

I bit my tongue and nodded.

"Now," Zeus said. "Ancient laws prohibit us from interfering with each other's realms – that means I can't go through the ocean any more than Hades can."

"But he can," Annabeth said. "That's why we're here, isn't it?"

"No, Annabeth."

We turned to the door and saw Athena march in, dressed in battle armor as if she just came back from defeating an army single-handedly. Behind her, walking at a much slower, more seductive pace, was Aphrodite, Piper's mom and goddess of love.

Zeus smiled when his daughter and Aphrodite walked in, taking their respective seats. I rolled my eyes and tried not to look at Aphrodite. Even though I was pretty sure I was into guys at this point, she had magic, and magic was powerful.

"Hades technically isn't overriding the rules, because he and his minions," she zeroed in on Percy, accusingly, "and his children aren't entering my uncle's realm. They're aiming to drain the kingdom into Tartarus, not invade it."

"And as long as they don't step over the line," Annabeth put the pieces together, "neither can Zeus or Poseidon."

"Exactly."

There was a moment of silence in the room, while everyone absorbed this information. "What do we do?" Piper asked defiantly.

Her mother looked her up and down. "You'll do nothing, Piper. This isn't our battle."

I was surprised by the goddess's response. Athena glanced at her, with those angry, intelligent eyes. "I advise you to reconsider."

Aphrodite got up, a hot pink aura surrounding her. "I have made up my mind. Whatever happens, I'm sure the Big Three can work it out. My children and I will not take part of this quest."

She stood up, and made her way to the door. "At least," she said, looking over her shoulder directly at me, "not directly."

She turned to Piper. "Come, my daughter. There is much work to be done."

I shrugged at her, knowing she felt humiliated and ashamed of her mother. Still, she knew better than to argue. She ran after her, and the door closed behind them.

Zeus sighed. "This is Hades's power," he said. "Chaos is in his very heart."

"My father's heart is more than chaos," a voice said, and I immediately turned back to Hephaestus's throne. When I saw Nico, a scowl appeared on my face. He was leaning against the metal, smiling as if someone had told a joke. I wanted to blast him out of existence.

Zeus stood up, and thunder cracked in the sky. The lights flickered. "Nico di Angelo," he said coolly. "What is the meaning of this?"

Nico remained where he was. "There's also death in my father's heart."

Percy had pulled out Riptide, but I wasn't afraid. What could he possibly do in the presence of the other gods? "Get out of here, Nico."

Nico chuckled. "We used to be so close, you and me," he mused. "Now we're at war."

"You've brought this on yourself," Percy said. "You and your dad."

"Enough!" Zeus boomed. "Have you come to deliver a message, or will I need to bring out my lightning bolts?"

Nico walked into the throne, as if he was a ghost, and emerged on the other side. "Strike me all you want," he mused, "but I'm not even here."

I was so angry at him. "What the hell do you want, Nico?"

"I just wanted to let you all know," he said, "that you have until tomorrow at high noon to surrender the throne. That's when the final explosives will detonate."

"Surrender the throne my ass," Percy said. "We'll take you down."

He vanished, but his voice remained, laughing at us. _You'll never succeed. _I felt sick.

"High noon?" Annabeth said. "That means we need to move. Like, right now."

"We don't have a plan," I argued.

"We'll figure something out," Percy said. "Annabeth always does."

"I'm afraid not," Athena said, reminding us she was there. "This is between the Big Three. The laws apply to the other gods, too."

"So only Percy can do this?" I asked, feeling angry and disappointed.

"Not exactly," Poseidon said. "I can grant you a pass, the sea being my domain. But it won't extend to children of the other gods."

I nodded at Percy. "It's me and you, then."

He nodded back. "Good."

I wanted to leave right away, to make sure we had as much time as possible. It was already late afternoon. "Let's get suited up and leave."

"Not so fast," Zeus said.

I looked up at him. "What?"

"You'll stay the night," he decided. "There's no point going now, not with Poseidon's cleanse going on."

"Cleanse?" I asked. What was he talking about?

Poseidon nodded. "I'm cleansing my realm of life, for their own safety. They're being shrunken, miniaturized if you will. And it's all going right here, for safekeeping until this is all over."

He pulled out a glass orb from his tunic, and I saw little specks moving around it. He brought it up to his eyes. "Those tiny dots? Those are the whales."

I shivered, realizing what I was seeing. "Is the cleanse harmful to them?"

He shook his head. "No, they'll be fine. It's me who will be taking a toll for it."

I could appreciate that. He was draining all his own power for the good of his creatures. "Does that mean we shouldn't expect any help from you?"

He thought for a moment. "I'll see what I can do."

Zeus clapped his hands once. "It's decided then. Percy and Jason will leave in the morning. We'll keep Annabeth and Piper safe here on Olympus, in the maiden's chamber. They will be brought back to Camp when this is over."

"And Tyson," Percy added. "He should be here by now."

Poseidon nodded. "I'll make sure he is looked after by his siblings. They're also here, you know."

I felt anxious but relieved all at once. "And when we get to the crevice, assuming we do, what will we do then?"

Zeus chuckled. "If I told you it wouldn't be a challenge, would it?"

With that, we were dismissed. Percy and I were led by Hermes to a stone house off road, away from the courts and shops and certainly away from wherever the maiden's chamber was. We were shown how to phone room service from the magic phone in the room, but neither of us was hungry. We climbed onto the same queen size bed, and I fell asleep nearly right away.


	5. Chapter 4 - Sexy Times (requested)

Chapter 4 - Sexy Times (requested)

_In which our hero partakes in sexual activities because he's a boss. Update to author's virginity status: still stands._

* * *

I awoke before even Apollo, which is saying something, and stared at the ceiling for a while. Outside our small one-room building Olympus was quiet, sleeping. Besides me Percy was also quiet, and also sleeping, on top of the sheets. An urge came over me and I wanted to change that.

"Hey," I whispered. "Wake up. We need to save the world."

He didn't stir, so I nudged him. "Percy! Come on, man."

"Five more minutes," he grumbled.

I sighed. "But I'm horny."

If I'd known that was the key to waking guys up, I'd have been much more successful as a Camp counselor. He rolled over immediately, eyes open. "What'd you say?"

I rolled my eyes. "I was joking."

He grabbed his pillow and wacked me with it. "Don't do that! I thought you actually meant it!"

I smirked. "And say I did, what would I need you for? The guy who runs around New York City with his ex-girlfriend, ignoring me?"

He lay facing the ceiling. "You know that's not true. I'm always thinking of you."

"Which of your heads is saying that?"

He turned to face me, and I nearly burst out laughing at the current state of his hair, which has clearly seen better days. "What do I need to do to prove it?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Well, you could kiss me."

"Done."

He moved onto me much faster than any sleepy guy I've ever known. Then again, no sleepy guy had ever rolled onto me.

He leaned down, and I stopped him, heart beating fast. I was stalling. "Gum."

"Shit."

He turned bright red in the faint light that was beginning to come through the curtained window. He got off me, and rummaged through his backpack. "I know I've got some… aha!"

He popped a piece into his mouth, and offered me one. I accepted, and enjoyed the minty freshness that spread on my tongue. "Now," he said. "Where were we?"

The blankets kicked aside, we kissed, and I ran my hand on his stubbly jaw. "You need to shave," I said between kisses. "Can't save the world looking like this."

"Mhm," he muttered, never letting go of my lips. His tongue barely poked into my mouth, almost as if it were scared.

Once again, I found my mind wondering. Was Percy really here with me, really feeling me, or was he just horny? Did he love me? Did he care for me? Did he want me?

I barely noticed as he removed his shirt, and started kissing down my neck in a way he'd never done before. I was immediately worried about where this was leading. The furthest we've gone was a hand job, and even then I never actually saw his prick. "Perce, stop."

He looked at my eyes, searching me. "What's wrong?"

I used the only excuse I had. "We… I don't have any condoms."

"Oh," he said, and immediately began kissing my skin again.

"I mean it!" I gently pushed him off me. "I don't want to do anything unsafe."

"Good," he said, and this time he was smirking. "I found a box in the bedside table after you fell asleep."

I rolled my eyes, but gave up the argument and allowed Percy to lift my shirt off. Percy lowered himself onto me, and blew slowly on my collarbone. I gasped, the minty cold sensation pushing me further and further. "You like that?"

"Somewhere else," I gasped.

I closed my eyes and held on to Percy's hair, and felt him move. He let out a cold breath on my nipple, and for a moment I couldn't breathe. I found myself wondering where he had learned to do this. Porn? Probably not. Annabeth, more likely.

Why the hell was I thinking about her right now? Percy, the guy I was in love with, was giving me sexual favors at the moment – I needed to focus. I decided to put aside my fear, my worries, my excuses – I'll dedicate myself to Percy. Percy is the only thing in the world to me.

I savored the cold sensations that he was giving to me. His mouth could do wonders. Despite my resolution, I began to worry that this was too one-sided, as always. I felt like since the first night, Percy had taken control, leaving himself unsatisfied. As if he could read my thoughts, he said, "I want you to relax. Let me make you feel good."

This brought tears to my eyes, but we both ignored them. I wanted to cry and laugh and dance all at once, but Percy's hands were a bit too far down my body to do any of that. He placed small kisses down my stomach, down my trail of blond hairs, to the point where his lips were above the waistline of my jeans. His cold fingers worked the button and the zipper, and I pushed myself against the bed so he could tug them off. He did it quickly, pulling off my plaid American Eagle boxers as well.

My heart beat faster and faster, anxious to experience the sensations that were to follow, but my brain still retained control. And boy, my brain wasn't about to let me off.

"Percy, what are we? I mean, the two of us. Are you my boyfriend?"

He looked up at me, surprised, and hesitated. Then he grinned. "I'll be whatever you want me to be. Now shut the fuck up."

Satisfied, I closed my eyes. He lowered his mouth onto my member, and I gasped. What an incredible sensation. The warm, moist mouth, paired with the cold mint of the gum. He closed his lips around the skin, slowly going up and down. I felt my stomach muscles tense and I wanted to get him off me, the feeling was so strong. He had his eyes closed, concentrating on pleasuring me. Up and down, breathing through his nose, wet sounds coming from his general direction. I noticed his left hand in his pants, touching himself. My hands gripped the sheets, and I focused on my dick. It felt amazing.

After a minute or two, he finally lip go, wiping the drool from his chin. He grinned at me. "Good?"

I breathed deeply. "Better than good. Let me try."

He lay back where I had been, and I eagerly got on top of him. I pulled his pants down, and was surprised at what I saw underneath. He wore tight black Versace boxer briefs, and the Medusa head logo stared out at me. Who knew he had such good taste in underwear? I swear that looking at my boyfriend's junk through the stretched dark fabric nearly petrified me like the Gorgon herself. "Since when do you wear Versace?"

"Versace?" Percy asked, confused. "I don't… oh, wow. Apparently I do."

I thought it was funny that Percy didn't know what underwear he wore. I leaned up and kissed him deeply, breathing in his scent. I lovingly ran my fingers though his hair, and finished by placing a small kiss on his nose. "I love you."

"Love you," he breathed.

I got in position, and pulled the fabric down to expose him. I noticed he had shaved his pubes.

"Been manscaping?"

"What?"

"Never mind," I said, a little confused. He never said anything about it, but I guess he didn't feel comfortable. Besides, you know what they say. Trim the underbrush and the tree looks taller. And boy, did his tree look tall.

I spit out my gum, not caring where it ended up, and grabbed it in my hand. Little beads of precum glistened on the head of his penis, and I fought to keep myself from getting sick. Here we go…

I lifted his shaft so the head pointed at the ceiling, and ran my tongue up the length. I heard him gasp, and felt a bit more confidence. In my ears my blood pounded, and my fingers shook. I bent down and kissed the tip, then opened my lips wide and lowered myself onto his dick, a little bit at a time. I closed my eyes and went down as far as I could, held for a moment, and came up gasping for air.

I didn't want to make eye contact with Percy, so I repeated. And repeated. Heck, I must have been in that position for a good five minutes before Percy came in my mouth. Again, I wanted to get sick, get his salty cum out of my mouth. I wiped my face, and looked up at him. He had his eyes closed, breathing hard. I took the opportunity and quickly made my way into the bathroom. I spit into the sink, and then washed my mouth. I took a long look in the mirror, and smiled to myself.

"Jason?"

"One sec," I called back. I was trying to get my heart to slow down.

"Well, hurry up. I need to finish what I started."


	6. Chapter 5 - The Package & the Stranger

Chapter 5 - The Package & the Stranger

_In which our hero begins the journey to his death. This chapter is based on a writing prompt, so it's not entirely my fault._

* * *

I don't want to ruin what happened next, but let's just say the godly condoms that had been in the bedside table were put to good use.

By the time the sun was high enough in the sky to leave, Percy and I had cleaned up, showered (together), and got dressed (unfortunately). I gave Percy one last lust-filled kiss and then opened the door.

We walked in silence to the floating steps, and found Annabeth waiting there. Piper wasn't with her. "Good night?" Annabeth asked, and I heard Percy clear his throat in the background.

"Yeah," I replied, not wanting to elaborate more than that. I spotted something in her hands. "What's that?"

"I don't know, it was on my doorstep this morning. There's a tag, says it's for you two."

She handed it to me, and I saw that it was a canvas bag tied with a piece of rope with a card attached. Our names were written in cursive letters on it, signed with a heart. A faint salty scent wafted from inside. I raised an eyebrow to Percy, and he shrugged. I untied the rope and peeked inside. "What the hell is that?"

"Let me see," Annabeth grabbed the bag from me and looked at the contents. "Sand?"

"Gold sand," I corrected her. "What does that mean?"

"Did you say gold sand?" Percy asked, rushing to us. "That's a sign of Psamathe, goddess of sand beaches."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Good thing our sea-prince is full of information. What does it mean?"

He took the bag from her and tied it up again. "I have a feeling it's a sign of where we need to start our search for the crevice's location."

We shouldered our bags and Percy hugged her goodbye for now. "Keep yourselves safe, alright?" Annabeth pleaded with Percy. "I need my Percy to come back safe."

He nodded, looking uncomfortable. I nodded to her and we made our way to the floating walkway, then down to the city.

"So where to now?" I asked.

"The source of the gold sand," Percy replied. "California."

* * *

I had no intention of visiting the West coast when we left Olympus, but I knew better than to argue. Besides, Percy was probably right, considering he usually was with things concerning sea-stuff.

The Gray Sisters were more than happy to drive us again, but this time for a price. Namely, every drachma we had left on us. We knew we wouldn't be coming back that way.

We practically flew across the country, trying to keep our quick on-the-go breakfasts down.

"Those bitches," Percy muttered when they drove off and sped away, leaving us to cross a two-lane road that was empty as far as the eye could see. On our side were fields, on the other long sandy beaches with the ocean close enough to smell. I grabbed Percy's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He smiled weakly at me, like he was distracted. He let go of my hand and crossed the street. I sighed and followed him. "Do you think we're in the right place?"

"I know we are," he replied. We walked in silence to the waterline, and I watched as he looked out at the sea. I could tell we didn't have a lot of time; a storm was brewing in the distance, and we could already feel the wind. "This is Psamathe's beach."

I nodded, trying to look impressed. "So… where is Psamathe?"

As if in answer, the sand around our feet began to shift. We stepped back and watched as it took form in what looked like a woman's face that's been rubbed down with sand paper. "Who walks on my sacred beach?"

I gulped. "Sacred? You didn't say anything about a sacred beach, Perce."

"Forgot about that," Percy answered nervously. He kneeled down to the goddess's face. "I'm Percy Jackson, and he's Jason Grace. My dad's Poseidon, he sent us here."

"For what reason, demigod?"

The wind picked up around us, and sand flew everywhere. "We need to find the crevice in the bottom of the sea – any ideas?"

The grains of sand that formed Psamathe's face kept flying away and then reforming, giving her the appearance of a flowing liquid. "I do not know the oceans. My realm is the sands, that is where I reign."

Percy turned to me with frustration in his eyes. I knew how he felt – the goddess wasn't being particularly helpful. And if she didn't have answers, we needed to find shelter – the wind kept picking up, and the storm clouds didn't seem so far in the distance anymore. I had an idea.

"But there's sand on the bottom of the ocean, right?"

The face frowned. "Of course. Sand is everywhere."

I almost rolled my eyes. "So could you feel where the sand is being disturbed? A powerful goddess like you surely could."

I knew that I was walking on thin ice here. If she was in a bad mood, she could bury both of us under five feet of sand before we knew it. She hesitated. "I… I could. But I won't."

"What?" I cried. "Why?"

Percy pulled me to the side. "She needs payment."

"We don't have any money left!"

"Not money, dude. The gold sand in the bag – it belongs to her."

Percy unzipped his backpack and pulled out the canvas bag. His hair whipped in the wind, and I tried to blink sand out of my eyes. We turned back to Psamathe. "What about a trade? You lead us to where the sand is being disturbed, and in exchange we give you this bag of sand."

She laughed, a terrifying sound that sent shivers down my spine. "A bag of sand? I am the goddess of sand!"

"Sure," Percy continued, trying to seem confident. "But what about gold sand?"

She stopped laughing. "Gold sand? You're not serious."

"Oh, but I am." He lifted the bag. "A whole bag of it – do you want it?"

She narrowed her sand eyes. "What kind of trickery is this? The gold sand was stolen from me millennia ago! How could you possibly posses it?"

Understanding dawned on me. Someone on Olympus was looking out for us. "It's true. Show her, Perce."

He reached in and pulled out a handful. "See?"

The sand woman shrieked. "Give it to me! Give me back what is mine!"

"Not until after you lead us to the crack!" Percy yelled, shutting the sack. "And quickly! We can't stay out in the open during the storm."

She fumed, but I knew the gold sand meant more to her than her pride. "Fine. I will lead you to it, but that's where my assistance will end. And know this, demigods: bargaining with a deity never works out in the mortal's favor."

With that, her face fell back into the sand, and I thought she had abandoned us. Then I spotted something in the water – a pillar of sand, moving from the beach through the water in a fast pace. The goddess was keeping up her end of the bargain.

"Quick!" I shouted to Percy, struggling to see him through the cloud of sand. "We have to follow her!"

"The water!" He yelled back. "It's the only way!"

"I can't swim that fast!" I retorted.

"Not swim!" He replied. "Surf!"

He pointed to a dune on the side, and I saw a half-broken surfboard that had been weathered to the point where it looked like a wooden plank. Why it was there was beyond me. "No way, man! I'm not getting on that!"

"We have to!" He yelled, already running towards it.

Panic rose within me. I didn't know how to get my boyfriend to understand that I didn't even know how to surf on a normal board, let alone a splintery mess like that which he was bringing back. "Percy-"

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

"Percy, I can't-"

"Do you trust me?" He asked again, looking me straight in the eyes.

I hesitated, and then shook my head. "I'm sorry Perce. I'll follow you, but my way."

I turned to the water and catapulted myself into the air, riding on the wind. I looked down and saw that Psamathe's sand column had moved out considerably, but was still in sight despite the bad visibility. I nodded down to Percy, who grabbed the board – if you could call it that – and set it in the water. I nearly toppled down from the air, and wondered how in the world I planned to get anywhere in the current conditions. Percy's board began to ride out on its own, slicing through the waves.

"Follow me!" Percy yelled from below me, on his own self-powered board.

"To the ends of the world!" I yelled back, terror gripping me. I swayed from side to side, trying to find balance.

I tried to get into a comfortable position, and kept my eyes on the pillar ahead. I hated flying, but I hated surfing even more.

"Are you okay?" Percy called.

"Sand in my eyes!" I replied, which was a blatant lie. I felt so embarrassed, so out of my element, despite being in it.

Percy maneuvered his board out of the shallows and into the open sea, where the sand from the beach didn't reach. I could see more clearly, but all that meant was that I could see how bad things were. The storm brewed ahead, flashing lightning and rolling thunder and all. It was almost if my dad was trying to strike down through the water to seal the crevice.

Lighting to seal the crevice? Suddenly everything made sense. In particular, why the gods had insisted that Percy and I should go alone. It was clear all of a sudden – Percy and I had to work together to close the crevice that grew larger by the moment. He'd get the water out of the way, and I'd channel my dad's powers. Simple, right?

"What are you thinking?" Percy called from underneath, and I saw that he had gotten better at manipulating the wood. We were currently trailing Psamathe at a constant speed.

"I know what we have to do," I called. He raised an eyebrow in question, but I didn't want to explain yet. It could wait at least until we got closer. Instead I kept a steely gaze ahead, trying to figure out from where I'd muster the strength to accomplish this.


	7. Chapter 6 - The Water's Fine

Chapter 6 - The Water's Fine

_In which our hero takes the plunge. Literally._

* * *

Psamathe led us to the middle of the storm, of course. Here, in the South Pacific Ocean, underneath miles of water, the power-crazy Hades was about to blow a hole to drain his brother's realm. Just the thought of it made me angry.

The pillar stopped and we moved closer to it. I made my body into an arrow shape and flew down to where Percy had stopped. "This is it?"

Percy nodded. "I can feel it. Right under us. Kinda scary."

I agreed with him, but didn't want to voice it. Saying it would make the fear all too real. "Give her the sand."

Percy opened his backpack slowly, making sure not to tip into the water. He pulled out the bag and turned it upside down, dumping the content into the water. Instantly the sand took shape, forming into a large golden fish. It swam down, and the pillar collapsed into the depths. "Guess we're on our own now."

I shook my head. "Look up – my dad's here."

As if to back my words, thunder boomed above us. "No more lightning?" Percy asked.

"Guess not."

He nodded. "So, what now?"

I explained to him the plan that had formed in my head. He listened, and when I finished, he sighed. "That's a tall order."

"Tell me about it," I muttered. I wanted to sit down, eat something, but of course I couldn't.

"We need a different plan."

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "What, my plan's not good enough?"

"I can't split the ocean, Jason!"

"Well you fucking have to, don't you now?"

"And what about you?" He snapped. "How exactly do you plan to channel all that electricity through your body?"

"Oh, so now you're worried about me? Half an hour ago you seemed pretty intent on getting me on that piece of shit to die!"

"Shut up, Jason! You wouldn't have died! I was only doing what I had to."

"So am I!" I yelled at him. "You think I _want _to do this? I don't even know if my body can take so much power! I could be dead by the time this is over!"

I had gotten so upset that I'd forgotten about where I was. With my concentration on Percy, I fell into the water, clothes and everything. Just let me drown, I thought as I lay motionlessly under the surface. It's better than facing this impossible task…

I felt my body being pulled to the surface, and I spluttered for breath. Percy had his hand outstretched, willing the currents. I avoided his eyes and got myself on the board. "Actually, you might as well stay in the water," Percy said. "We're gonna end up there anyway. Your plan is the only one we've got."

"Shut up," I said. I looked in the direction we'd come from. "I'm so freaking scared right now."

"I know, Jay. But we'll make it, alright? Together."

I wiped salty water from my mouth. "Not like we have a choice."

I pulled off my shirt and tugged off my pants, which were so heavy with water that they were practically useless. "Don't mind if I continue our adventures in boxers, do you?"

He cracked a smile. "Actually, I prefer it like this. Come on, we need to get under."

He kept his clothes on, and I remembered that he wouldn't even get wet. That lucky bastard. "Air bubble?" I asked.

He nodded, jumped into the water, and a moment later he resurfaced. "Get in, the water's fine."

I looked around me, at the endless water, and sighed. This was it. We'd either succeed and save Olympus, or fail and bring to an end the longest reign in the history of mankind. The odds were not in my favor.

I jumped in.


	8. Chapter 7 - What It All Comes Down To

Chapter 7 - What It All Comes Down To

_In which our hero approaches the climax of the story._

* * *

As soon as I was in the water, Percy was on me. Not like that, you pervert. I mean his bubble. A large translucent dome surrounded us, like a barrier to the water that wanted to swallow us both.

"Pretty neat, eh?"

"Would be nicer if we weren't about to die," I said dryly. "Get us down."

"We're not going to die," Percy said sternly. I felt the bubble begin to descend. "I promise I'll keep you safe."

I curled up at the bottom of the bubble, shaking from the cold and the fear that gripped me. "No more talking."

Percy obliged, and we continued to go down towards the sea floor.

The bubble was an engineering marvel; fresh oxygen, a stunning 360-degree view, magic light, pressure equalizer – it'd be nice to take a trip in this thing. Maybe if we made it out of this…

"A few more minutes," Percy notified me. We had been descending for roughly ten minutes, and I was beginning to wonder if we were too late. Hades's team would no doubt be close to finishing their work by now.

"How's that ocean splitting thing coming?" I asked.

"I'm trying not to think about it," he said bitterly. "Jason, it's basically impossible."

"We have to make it possible. You're the only one who can do it."

Suddenly our bubble was knocked off course, and we were left to fall on each other until we came to a stop. "What the fuck was that?"

"My dad said he brought all the marine life with him," Percy said. "Nothing is supposed to be down here."

Another bump, and we fell again. A deep male voice came through the bubble. "I'm still here."

We looked down, and gasped. A face the size of a car looked in on us, illuminated by the bubble. I saw blue skin, and elfish features, but he looked old. Below the face was a human torso that ended in a giant fish tail. Percy's face hardened. "Oceanus."

The sea titan? Oh, wow. This wasn't good. I knew he had sided with the titans in the war.

"Good to see you, Percy."

"Leave us alone, this doesn't concern you."

"Oh, it's doesn't?" The titan mused. "Funny. Your father disappears, taking with him all the fish… and all my monsters have left is… nothing. They're very hungry."

I was about to completely lose it. We'd gone all this way to be eaten by some sea monsters? Come on!

"I'll fight you with everything I have in me," Percy spit. "I'm not scared of you."

The titan seemed entertained more than anything. "You should be. I'm stronger now. What's a petty demigod to a titan?"

"Funny," Percy said. "I remember hearing that from Kronos. Right before we killed him."

The titan's blue eyes narrowed. "On any other day I'd have ripped you to shreds a million times for saying that. But today, there is something more important. I believe you and I have a shared interest. Besides, your father asked me nicely to help."

I looked at Percy, trying to convey a million things to him. Mainly, don't trust this guy.

"With what?"

"A certain crack in the ocean, I'm afraid. What, you think I don't know? I'm the titan of the seas! I know everything that happens here. Unfortunately, if your uncle has his way, I'm in trouble as well. So, let's work together."

We were wasting time. "How?" Percy demanded.

"Tell me what you need done, and I will do it."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This titan, an enemy of Olympus, was offering to help us. Could we trust him?

"Can you split the ocean?" I asked, and they both turned to me.

"Split the ocean?" Oceanus repeated, and laughed. "That's not possible, child."

I gritted my teeth. "That's what I keep hearing. But we need it done – if you and Percy work together, maybe you can make it happen?"

Oceanus brought a giant hand to his chin, pondering. "Perhaps."

A violent explosion shook the world, and I was thrown into Percy again. Oceanus looked around, startled. "It's noon."

Sure enough, a fiery red line lay beneath us, and I felt our bubble being sucked towards it. As we neared, I realized how big it was – the length and width of a school bus. "How can that thing endanger the ocean?" I asked.

"It's an illusion," Oceanus replied calmly. "It's far larger than it appears. Already I feel my powers draining."

We were getting closer to the bottom. "What do we do?"

Percy locked eyes with me. "We set our plan in motion."


	9. Chapter 8 - The Fall of a Hero

Chapter 8 - The Fall of a Hero

_In which our hero finishes his quest, one way or another._

* * *

If you looked at Percy's face when he began splitting the ocean, you'd think he was really constipated or something. Sweat coated his face, dampening his clothes. Oceanus had taken stand on the floor (well, as much as a stand as a fish can make), holding our bubble with one hand, channeling his powers through the other. A whirlpool began to form around us, slow at first, then picking up speed and growing in size. It was based right in the crack, so that the pull helped it grow. Everything shook, and the sound was deafening. I knew that if they succeeded, I'd be out of the game. Still, I hoped on.

Percy's grunts filled the small bubble, and I tried to encourage him. "You're doing great, Perce. You're literally doing the impossible."

He didn't respond, concentrating, and I felt so alone it was nearly suffocating. I looked at the giant who held us, and got equal response from him. As they poured the very essence of themselves into it, the whirlpool continued to gain in power and size. The red light from the crevice lit up the surrounding area in a sort of eerie glow, and I suddenly felt ill. The very balance of the worlds was shifting near me, and what was I doing? Sitting helplessly in a bubble - not incredibly heroic. Still, I knew that soon enough it'd be my turn. I'd make the ultimate sacrifice – my life – to save everyone else. There were so many people to say goodbye to, so many I'd never see again. But I knew what had to be done.

Nico's words played over and over in my mind. _You'll never succeed_.

I realized I'd clenched my eyes shut, and opened them. The first thing I noticed was that the red light was less prominent – surface light was coming down from above. I strained my neck upwards and saw that Percy and Oceanus had nearly done it – a whirlpool the size of a football field spun above the crevice, trillions of gallons of water draining into the void.

"Jason!" Percy groaned, still focusing on the massive task in hand. He was red in the face, breathing rapidly.

I quickly got to my feet. "Are you ready?"

"Almost!"

Oceanus let out a massive roar, and unleashed everything that was left in him. The whirlpool broke to the surface, many miles above us. A giant opening that led directly from the outside to the bottom of the ocean – I knew this had never happened before. Our bubble popped, and we fell to the barely solid ocean floor.

As soon as we hit the sand, we were trapped. "Percy!" I yelled. "I can't move!"

"Me either!" he groaned, still pouring his essence into the whirlpool.

The sand had swallowed our hands and legs so that all we could do was look at the raging storm above.

"I told you not to bargain with me!" Psamathe boomed from below us.

I groaned, realizing this was the deity taking her revenge. How were we supposed to get out of here?

"Jason!" Percy gasped. "Now!"

I looked at the surface, at the storm cloud that spun above it. I knew my dad was sitting up there, watching but not interfering. I could feel how close he was.

I was counting on his help, but I didn't know if I would get it from him. How funny it would be to Hades if I failed right now. He and Nico would have a good laugh about all of this, sitting on the pile of bones that would be us. Percy wouldn't be spared, not after the way he spoke to Nico, despite whatever feelings the two had for each other in the past.

To focus was what I really needed right now. I struggled to free one hand and stretched it towards the sky, and the other towards the crack, and nodded in Percy's direction. He nodded back, even though he was busy holding up the monstrous whirlpool, entrapped in the sand. I looked up and called down a bolt, the way I had a million times on quests and in practice.

A thin rod of electricity shot down from the clouds, into the whirlpool, and I channeled it through my body. To a normal person, or even any other demigod, that would have been fatal, but all I felt was a tingle. I watched as it ran through me in slow motion and then shot off towards the crevice. It disappeared, gone forever into the Underworld. It had no effect besides loosening Psamathe's grip on me.

She screamed, and Percy only had time to gasp for air before she sucked him underneath.

I roared with anger, steadied myself, took a deep breath, and called down the most powerful bolt I could manage. As it came down, I held my breath. It connected, this time knocking me off my feet and back into the sand. I landed on a rock, and my arms were badly scraped. "Shit!" I yelled, and looked to see if I had done any good. The bolt had missed the crevice entirely, swallowed in the whirlpool, which, teeming with live electricity, seemed even more menacing than before.

I struggled to get up. Already the whirlpool was beginning to close, as Oceanus fought his very element, with Percy out for the count. In seconds this would be all over, I'd be crushed under all the weight of the water, and go down in history as the worst hero in the history of heroes.

_I cannot help you_, a voice spoke in my head. I recognized it immediately; my dad. _My son, I cannot interfere in my brother's domain. But I can grant you more power._

"Well, what are you waiting for!" I screamed at the sky.

_Your body is not built for such power. You will be dead in mere moments_.

I gritted my teeth. "Power. Now."

_As you wish_.

My body suddenly began radiating gold light, and my bruises healed. In fact, I felt rejuvenated. I ran to where Percy had gone under, and dug into the sand until I touched his hand. I pulled him out so that his face showed, and he gulped air. "I can't do it," he gasped. "We're doomed."

"Keep it up," I said. "A few more seconds, that's all I need."

He looked at me with his beautiful eyes, nodded once, and a blue light radiated from him, lifting the rest of him from the sand. He was back in the game.

The whirlpool had halved in size. The time for action was now.

I ran directly to the crevice, peered inside, and saw a sea of flames. Hell. Was Nico – that stupid asshole – down there? Was he watching, hoping we'd fail? Well, I guess we better not.

I dug my heels into the sand, and looked up again. The hairs on my body stood as I began to build the bolt I would use to finish the job.

I heard a loud _thump _as the titan collapsed, passing out on the sand. His body was smaller now, as if the effort took a toll on his physical aspect as well. I saw a flash in the distance, and realized it was my lightning. It was on its way, traveling at a speed that nobody but me could see clearly.

Closer, closer, it came towards the water. It passed just as the pool collapsed on itself, closing at the top, with the water rushing downwards to fill the gap. I didn't focus on that, though, instead choosing this final act to be my sole focus. The tip of the bolt connected with my outreached hand, and set it on fire. The rest of me followed, but I was calm as it shot from the other hand, onto the crevice. A thick column of electricity, Zeus's very essence, battling his brother's doing.

The crevice imploded, pulling in Oceanus' body, and the final thought that registered before I passed out was, _at least I went out with a bang._


	10. Chapter 9 - Hairless but Alive

Chapter 9 - Hairless but Alive

_In which our hero explains how things turned out._

* * *

How I was alive was a question I couldn't answer in the days I was in the infirmary on Olympus, healing from wounds and burns that shouldn't have healed. Of course, the ambrosia and nectar helped. Also Apollo's magical poems, even though at the time all I wanted was to set myself on fire again.

I wasn't allowed visitors, and Apollo said it was for my own good. Had the events messed up my face so bad that it'd be painful to look at it? I knew my hair had burned off, I could feel that much. My entire being hurt, my soul, my heart, and of course, my body. I longed to be at home – my real home – with someone who loved me. Apollo wouldn't tell me what had happened; all he said was that our 'girly friends' had returned to Camp.

Speaking of people who loved me, where was Percy anyway? Didn't he try to find me? Or maybe he was in another room in the infirmary, healing from his own scars. And what about Oceanus, did they rescue him from Hades? I knew the gods weren't exactly friendly with the titans, but even they would have mercy, wouldn't they?

On the fourth day, Apollo came in with his harp thing, and I groaned. "Just kill me."

He shot me a glare. "I'm not going to play for you. I was told to bring you to the banquet."

"What banquet?" I asked. I was still disoriented, not sure what was reality. Shouldn't I be dead? Zeus had said the bolt would kill me. So what gives?

"To celebrate the victory over the creep god," Apollo answered. Then he raised the instrument. "I feel a poem coming on!"

"No!" I called. "Banquet, remember?"

"Oh, that," he mumbled, and helped me up. I felt weak, but just being around the god made me feel healthier. Besides, he was a hottie – and not just because he was the sun god.

The door that had previously only opened for Apollo and the nurses opened wide, and we stepped into a long hallway, lined with doors that look exactly like mine. On one end there was a large mural, a painting in someone's honor, and on the other is a door to the outside. We walked towards it.

We were almost to the exit when Apollo stopped me. "Just a second, dude."

He tapped the last door on the right and it opened. Inside I saw my boyfriend – Percy – waiting at the end of the bed. When he saw us, he got up and ran to us. He tackled me in a fierce hug, and I would have tumbled if Apollo wasn't supporting me.

"Hold your horses, Percy!" The god exclaimed, and then laughed. "I made a joke!"

We roll our eyes at him, and Percy whispered to me. "I missed you."

I wanted to say so much, do so much, but of course I couldn't – not in Apollo's presence. Regardless of how close Percy and I had gotten during the course of our quest, nobody knew about it yet.

"I missed you too."

We exited the building, and a loud cheer went up. I winced as the bright light flooded my pupils. When my eyes adjusted, I saw that the banquet was being held right outside the informatory – a sign of gratitude if there ever was one.

I won't bore you with all the things that were said and done at the banquet, but I'll tell you this: I didn't expect what Aphrodite said to me.

"You know," she said discreetly as she walked by Percy and me, "When I said I would help indirectly, I meant it."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?"

She sighed. "Come on, who do you think left you the sand? And those condoms in the bedside table? Percy's underwear? The manscaping?"

Percy chocked on his drink, and I looked at her in horror. "You know?"

She smiled erotically. "I'm the goddess of love, I always know. And Jason? Don't worry about my daughter. I think she's finally moved on."

I nodded because I couldn't find words to say. She slipped away into the crowd, and I turned to Percy. "So everyone on Olympus knows?"

He straightened his shirt. "I don't care. We'll be home soon enough."

I made my way to get some punch, and my dad clapped me on the back. I was so startled that I dropped the cup into the bowl. He laughed. "Don't be harsh on yourself, you're only mortal."

He winked, and I resisted glaring at him. He got serious. "I was as surprised as anyone else when you survived the final strike," he said. "I'm glad you did."

I finally had an opportunity to ask the question Apollo wouldn't answer. "So did it work?"

He motioned to the party. "Would we be celebrating if it hadn't? The void was sealed in the nick of time. My brother had returned home, and word is that he's got a great deal of gratitude to you and your friend. We all do."

I smiled awkwardly. "Thanks. I'm glad everyone's okay. And Oceanus?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"You've gotta get him out of the Underworld!"

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Excellent point! Totally forgot about him. I'll phone Hades later."

"Phone Hades?" I repeated.

"Sure, we might be enemies, but we're still related. Anyway, I'm glad you're safe, son." He nodded, as if the conversation was over, but I still had so much to say. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "I almost forgot."

He reached into his tunic and brought out some golden drachma. "For the ride home."

The Gray Sisters dropped me and Percy off on the road to the Camp Half-Blood gate that night, and drove off, laughing manically.

Percy shook his head as he watched them leave. "Think we'll ever have to get in that cab again?"

I shrugged. "With our luck? Probably."

He grinned, and put his arm around me as we walked to the Gate. "I like you better with short hair. And I think I heard Apollo say that your eyebrows would grow back. Eventually."

I grinned at him, and kissed him on the cheek, I could hear the sing-along all the way from here. "So what now?" I asked.

"Now?" He asked, yawning. "Now we sleep."

I punched him playfully in the arm, but agreed. I was exhausted. As we passed underneath the Gate that marked the boundaries, he sighed. "I'm going to miss being this close to you."

"Who said we can't be close anymore?" I asked.

He raised his eyebrow at me, but then shrugged. "Whatever, man. Just be ready for a whole lot of jealous girls chasing you."

"Jealous? Of you? Please."

"Jealous that I can run faster than you, that is."

He winked at me and began running ahead. I shook my head, smiling, and took off after him, running all the way to the Big House.

* * *

* * * THE END * * *


End file.
